An International Caribbean Online Log about the news and opinions in the Americas and World.
This Caribbean Blog of global reach and appeal is maintained by Bahamian Blogger - Dennis Dames with all readers and subscribers in mind.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Latin America's democratic
credentials go on display once again in October, with presidential and
other elections taking place in three countries – Brazil on the 5th,
Bolivia on the 12th and Uruguay on the 26th.

While no one
would seriously question the strength of democracy in Brazil and Uruguay
– despite all the institutional and governance issues, particularly in
the former – the same cannot be said about Bolivia. The country has
enjoyed relative political stability since Evo Morales became president
in 2006, and in recent years strong economic growth too, but democratic
practices have lagged behind and his socialist party's stranglehold on
the state apparatus is expected to give him a clear advantage in the
polls. What is more, some question whether Morales should be allowed to
stand for a third term at all, as that is forbidden by the constitution.
Morales is managing to get round that minor inconvenience by
maintaining that his first term didn't count as it was before the
current constitution was introduced.

Even so, few would doubt the popularity of the incumbent and the voting process itself is expected to be clean.

Left-leaning
candidates will also probably triumph in Brazil and Uruguay, although
run-off elections are likely. In the former, the contest between leading
candidates President Dilma Rousseff of the workers' party and Marina
Silva of the "soft left" socialists is neck and neck,
while in Uruguay former president Tabaré Vàsquez, who has the backing
of current left-wing head of state José Mujica, is ahead in the polls.

So
does this mean the shift to the left in Latin America continues
unabated? Maybe, but increasingly less so in the manner of a few years
back when the Bolivarian Alba left-wing bloc of countries led by
Venezuela's Hugo Chávez on the one hand and liberal pro-market nations
on the other were seriously polarizing the continent. In fact,
Venezuela's influence in the region has waned, and was doing so even
before Chávez's death in March last year. With its own economy in
disarray, and oil exports falling (at least according to independent
accounts), Venezuela has become an increasingly less attractive model to
follow.

At the same time, those governments on the left of the
political spectrum that have emerged in recent years, from El Salvador
to Uruguay, are a mixed bag where socialist ideology has taken a
distinctly back seat role. What path Brazil chooses if Silva does win –
she's expected to adopt a more liberal, outward-looking approach on
issues such as trade – will perhaps be the key to how things develop in
the continent in the years ahead.

In any case, this tendency to
move away from polarization is to be welcomed, as is the current
strength of democracy in the region, as evidenced by the upcoming
elections.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

“Be very careful if you’re going to Venezuela, especially Caracas.
It’s the most violent city in the world. There’s no food over there-
they don’t even have toilet paper. Those two communist governments
ruined the whole country. Before, the bolivar (Venezuelan currency) used
to be valuable than ours,” a taxi driver warned me in Barranquilla,
Colombia.

Duly warned, I asked my friendly host driver, “How much
does gasoline cost there, and how much does it cost here?” He replied,
“Well OK, in Venezuela it’s practically given away. The gallon costs no
more than 150 bolivars, (about two dollars), [translator’s note: this is
the price at which Colombians may purchase Venezuelan gasoline. The
actual price is close to 30 cents of a bolivar, or $0.03], here in
Colombia the gallon costs nine thousand pesos, (about five dollars). But
over there, there’s no food.”

This is the stereotypical view of a
country with no toilet paper, an absence of food and an abundance of
violence, to which the Colombian public subscribes regarding their
neighbor country, Venezuela.

In the Caribbean half of Colombia,
insecurity and uncertainty manifest itself in cities whose stores close
at 6 PM, whose streets empty by 7 PM, with an abundance of commercial
and edible goods, at high prices.

Between Santa Marta and Maicao,
a border city on the Colombian side, one will not find the “avalanche
of Venezuelans” seeking refuge from hunger, violence, and the lack of
toilet paper. This is what a visitor, so frequently warned, expects to
see when crossing from Colombia to Venezuela, but nothing of the sort
exists.

What you can see is a multitude of Colombian citizens
crossing over to reach the commercial city of Maracaibo, Venezuela. They
look almost like backpackers, hardly bringing anything with them into
the hungry, violent land. During the crossing, the taxi drivers and
passengers alike will grumble and complain of the corrupt Maduro
government which ordered more control and anti-smuggling patrols to
guard the borders.

On the way from Maicao, Colombia to
Maracaibo, Venezuela, our taxi driver made two strategic stops to fill
his automobile with gasoline from black market salesmen along the way.
In response to my innocent question whether this, too was an act of
corruption, the anti-Maduro passengers replied in unison; “This will
never end. This is people’s livelihood here.”

Unexplainable Contrasts in Bolivarian Venezuela

“Here
we fill up our tanks with gasoline with just four of these coins,” my
taxi driver said, holding out a small metallic coin as he takes me from
the bus terminal to my hotel, in the city of Caracas. And I ask him, if
gas is so cheap, “Why are you charging me 250 bolivar for this trip
then?” Unable to take back the contradiction he responded, “Here gas is
cheap, but pants cost most than 2,000 bolivar. And there aren’t many.”

I
did not see famine in Caracas. The markets and restaurants are full of
low-priced food and other products. He who has dollars or Colombian
pesos can enjoy goods and services of the best quality. The majority of
commercial goods here cost a tenth of what they’re sold for abroad. And
this phenomenon occurs thanks to the state which controls, through
certain measures, the production, distribution and commercialization of
goods and services within the country.

Gasoline is cheaper than
bottled water because the state controls the energy sector. Domestic
flights cost almost the same as land transport, because the state owns
certain airlines [just one- Conviasa]. The urban and intercity metro
system, aside from being clean and efficient, charges practically a
symbolic amount per ticket (1.50 bolivars). With one dollar exchanged on
the black market, one could ride the Venezuelan metro rail 50 times.
There are at least four exchange rates for the dollar; three official
and one underground.

New buildings spring up in different parts
of the city, constructed by the government for families who can’t afford
homes. 600,000 Families have already been placed in theirs… and the
state says one million apartments or houses are currently under
construction. The goal is to reach three million for needy families.
State supermarkets also exist, which sell national and imported products
at much lower prices than privately owned markets. There are state
stores where the latest generation laptops are sold for 9,000 bolivar (a
little over $100 on the black market). Books, in state bookstores, are
sold also for symbolic prices. The almost two million university
students don’t only receive “free” higher education, their meals are
equally subsidized by the petroleum income.

In Bolivarian
Venezuela there is no destitution, although material and moral poverty
do exist. Violence does exist, although it has decreased, but one can
walk the streets of Caracas until 10 or 11 PM (until the metro stops
working). It’s a country where the neo-liberal capitalist system runs
alongside a socialist system in process. The former waging war without
mercy on the latter.
There
is enough food, though perhaps not enough to waste. There is an
abundance of toilet paper, though not the scented, pink kind. The
country has as much petroleum under its soil as the generalized public
corruption one hears of and senses in public administration. The
abundant petroleum does not only continuously corrupt sociopolitical
structures within the country, it’s also led nearly the entire
population to forget that food comes from the earth, and not from oil.

After
observing the flow of every day life in the beating political heart and
Bolivarian economy, I realize a selfish system and a system of
solidarity cannot coexist for very long. Much less without declaring war
on one another; and this is what is happening in Venezuela.

Why
are books on contemporary Latin American political changes not offered
in Colombian bookstores? Why do viewers there have little access the the
news channel TeleSUR? Why do neighboring Colombians frequent the hungry
and violent Venezuela, with empty backpacks? Why does the Venezuelan
commercial oligarchy hide products they import with dollars subsidized
by the Bolivarian state?

Why do corporate media vultures poison
international audiences with stories of missing perfumed toilet paper,
with no mention of the undeniable achievements of the Bolivarian
process? Why is it that for news channels like CNN, it’s considered a
deed worthy of world news when the president of Honduras stages a public
event to deliver a soccer ball or a dozen computers on a stage, and
they say nothing [about] the social, cultural, technological and economic
accomplishments of the Bolivarian Venezuela?

Saturday, September 20, 2014

A new look at violence against women

By DERRICK MILLER

There are several definitions of domestic violence. Here is the simplest one: “If it feels wrong, it is.”

One legal definition of domestic violence is: It consists of acts committed in the context of an adult intimate relationship. It is a continuance of aggressive and controlling behaviors, including physical, sexual, emotional and psychological attacks, that one intimate partner does to another.

Historically, many studies have shown, a wife was the property of a husband, and he had the right to carry out whatever behavior to keep her in line. Experts have also noted that laws fail to adequately protect the victims of domestic violence. In recent years, many policies have been amended and have given women constitutional rights to safety and protection, but the struggle continues.

One of the problems is that domestic violence is often seen and described as a taboo, where guilt and shame make it difficult for victims to come forward.

What is the color of domestic violence?

Often the media only cover domestic violence when a rich and famous individual is abused, arrested or killed. What has happened to poor individuals’ cases? Domestic violence seems to be green.

Today, though, thanks to technology, the faces of all victims and perpetrators of domestic violence can be seen.

September 8, 2014, reminded us that domestic violence is still a cancer. A video of Ray Rice, a National Football League (NFL) player, showed him knocking his fiancée unconscious in an elevator, then dragging her out like a piece of luggage.

Within hours, the O.J. Simpson 1995 double murder case in which he was acquitted emerged on almost every news lead-in. This was not coincidental; O.J.'s name generates ratings and a platform that often divides. Most importantly, his case has encouraged more calls to domestic violence centers in general.

Despite the media's recent highlight on almost every black NFL player, there are other Ray Rices still in many games, in schools, mosques, synagogues and churches. They are co-workers in disguise. I am not minimizing his behavior. He should be punished both in the court of law and in his career.

Violence should not be broadcast to further polarize a society. Should we now keep scorecards of offenders in order to balance the portrayal of certain groups? Should we go to the archives and pull up Scott Peterson – who killed his seven-and-a-half-month pregnant wife along with their unborn only child – whenever O.J.’s name is mentioned?

Four years prior, Pittsburgh Stealers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, was accused of three rape charges. The district attorney later dropped the charges. It was reported that alcohol played a role. Ray Rice also stated that he was intoxicated. Furthermore, can society add South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius, the disabled track star who killed his girlfriend? For victims, an assault is simply that. It is not them vs. us. This divide does not provide hope and needs to be debunked.

The reality

Violence against women is not a new paradigm. I am afraid many experts and pundits will move on soon, and so does domestic violence as it returns behind closed doors until another funeral.

We all know a victim and/or have witnessed abuse and asked ourselves why. "He was a nice person and she seemed fine". This is simply another subconscious minimization process. In these relationships the power and control wheel has been active: (1) male privilege; (2) economic abuse; (3) emotional turmoil; (4) isolation; and (5) minimization.

Today, tackling domestic violence is troubling, as stratification has created a polarized and intolerant society where socio-economic inequality, haves vs. have-nots, forced domestic violence into political debates.

In addition, giving only certain individuals airtime does not tell the full story. Many studies have shown that the homicide and victimization rates for black men and women are much higher than the national average. These pundits only provide a temporarily feel-good segment because one mug-shot is not plastered on the screen.

Directly or indirectly, violence is a community problem. Some believe Boko Haram's ideology is only a Nigerian problem. But this ideology is in the Caribbean, the USA and other countries in disguise.

Domestic violence must taken with a sense of urgency worldwide – a priority such as dismantling ISIS, containing Ebola or destroying any terrorist organization. Although one cannot order a drone strike on an abusive husband, law enforcement, policies and support have to be able to track these abusers and provide help as needed.

In the 1980s, in the United States, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) organization played a pivotal role in a grassroots movement that rewrote laws and battled cultural resignation about alcohol-related traffic deaths. The same has also taken place with gun-advocates. Domestic violence groups need to be formed world wide

What are the faces of violence?

Domestic violence affects young, old, blacks, whites, rich, poor, gay, straight, Christians and non-believers. Furthermore, not having a black eye should not discount one as a victim. Many women stay in abusive relationships for economic survival and their children’s safety. Men also get abused but statistics shows more men abuse women.

The data

According to the Washington Coalition Against Violence and other studies, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. These abusers are often members of her own family. One in six women and one in 33 men experience an attempted rape.

The number of children witnessing violence is over 80 million and nearly one in five teenage girls have been in a relationship where a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a break-up attempt. It is one of the leading causes of injury to women – more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined

In the U.S. alone, husbands or boyfriends murder more than three women each day, and every nine seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten. This is not only a psychological nightmare for families and friends; the economic toll is extremely high. An estimated $4.1 to $5.8 billion is registered in terms of lost work days alone, which is about 32,000 full-time jobs.

In 70 to 80 percent of cases, men psychologically abuse the woman before a murder. Domestic violence cases comprise of more than half of police response calls – more than robbery, motor vehicle theft and burglary.

Need for universal policies

If all crimes become a community health problem, and the ability to drop cases is removed, treating domestic violence as what it is – a criminal act – more can be done immediately.

Why: It was late one Sunday night; I'd just gotten back from a long flight. The telephone rang and a sad voice emerged. The first thought was to say, “How did you gain access to my telephone number?” I later learned a friend of a friend provided my telephone number.

According to the victim, a criminal complaint had already been filed against her abusive husband. There was minimal sign that physical abuse had taken place, and this was about her third call for help. This time a doctor’s report was needed to make an arrest and she had to head back home to wait. The local doctor had to be paid in advance by the victim before such medical exam could be completed, to allow for a recommendation for an arrest to take place.

A few years later, I still wonder, what if the police department was led by a woman with resources at hand and a responsive system? How different would that victim’s life be today? How many died waiting? Imagine being abused and an arrest is hung on a medical assessment where the fees are the most important aspect.

Treatment modality

The law does not have to stipulate mandatory prosecution in all cases, but rather immediate intervention. Furthermore, simply relying on only physical evidence makes it less likely another will be killed or continue to be victimized. A swift adjudication process is key, as are treatment of all incidents as a criminal act and changes to ensure victims are empowered.

Domestic violence response is not just a few of weeks of treatment sessions where the offender dodges and refuses to take responsibility, only showing up because he has been caught. Especially in the poor regions, offenders must be held accountable. Outdated laws need to be amended to send a clear message from the high school to the work place that this kind of behavior will be met with stiff penalties.

Change the male chauvinist ideology where women are defined by how high their heels are and not by their work. Both sides should work together and call out violence before it becomes another “rest in peace” obituary. Developing and promoting more women to key leadership roles will not eliminate violence against women overnight, but decisions that affect women will have a seat at the table.

Laws are the first line of defense, and priority must be given to victims. The outdated ideology, “She deserved it”, has to stop, especially in poor communities where the rich and powerful often muzzle the outcome of prosecutions. If this cycle continues, it only creates a new generation that will marry someone who is either abusive or becomes an abuser themselves.

Refocus

Leaders must invest in young women, who are consistently overlooked and treated as second-class citizens. Even when one is qualified, the glass ceiling still remains in place. As a society, all must move from this.

• Derrick Miller is a trained U.S. Federal law enforcement officer that has been in the criminal justice field for more than 14 years.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Borikén, a thorn in the side for the U.S.

• On April 11, 1899, the
United States exchanged ratification documents with
Spain to seal the Treaty of Paris signed the year
before • Among the countries ceded under the Treaty
was Puerto Rico, which remains a colony of the U.S.
empire today

By Lídice
Valenzuela García

Borikén, the indigenous name of the archipelago
including the main island of Puerto Rico, lives
enslaved in the 21st century by a Treaty signed in
1898 by Spain and the United States, a status
rejected in important international forums, thanks
to the resistance of Puerto Rican nationalist
movements which have been fighting for decades to
achieve national sovereignty.

A map of U.S. military bases in Puerto Rico. The
U.S. took control of the
island by military force at the end of the 19th
century, taking advantage of
the decline of the Spanish Empire.

Washington refuses to relinquish sovereignty to
Puerto Rico – in foreign hands since the arrival of
Christopher Columbus in 1493 – keeping its citizens
in a kind of legal limbo. The U.S. does not
recognize Puerto Rico as a state, but neither has it
been returned to its rightful owners, given the
imperial power’s many interests on the island, among
them military. Thus the idea which best served
Washington’s purposes was to arrogantly declare the
country a Free Associated State.

On
April 11, 1899, the U.S. government and Spain
exchanged documents ratifying the Treaty of Paris -
signed the year before in the French capital by both
nations, a stroke of luck resulting from U.S.
interference in the Cuban War of Independence. The
treaty gave U.S. authority over territories
important to the new geopolitics it had envisioned
for the Caribbean in the 20th century.

With
this sham diplomatic act, U.S authorities also
gained control of Spain’s remaining possessions in
the Caribbean and Pacific - consisting of Puerto
Rico, Cuba, Guam and the Philippines.

In
regards to Cuba, strategists at the time planned to
occupy the country and later grant independence,
which had already been won from the Spanish on the
battlefield. The supposed U.S. salvation arrived on
imperial ships and marked the history of the county.
Cuba was subjugated to Washington’s political and
economic interests, until 1959.

The
signing of the Treaty brought an end to the Cuban
War of Independence. The imperialist regime took
advantage of its entry into Cuba to broaden its
expansion after almost 100 years of appropriations
justified under different doctrines, a realization
of the so-called Manifest Destiny attributed to the
country. By 1989 the U.S. had annexed Louisiana,
Oregon, California, Texas and New Mexico, among
other territories, but its ambitions took it
further, to the Caribbean, protected by a fleet
which clearly demonstrated its military power.

A
THORN IN THE SIDE

Since the day President William McKinley signed the
Paris Treaty, Puerto Rico has been a thorn in the
side of the United States, even when the majority of
the population has voted in opposition to
independence in a number of referendums, reflecting
the country’s economic dependence and saturation of
U.S. culture over generations.

Pro-independence protest march in San
Juan, capital of Puerto Rico. The independence
movement grows stronger in the heart of the Puerto
Rican people.

Puerto Rican nationalists have, however, been waging
an uphill battle to regain the island’s freedom, and
in order to do so, have employed different forms of
resistance, from the streets to discussions in the
United Nations about this archaic case of
colonialism in the 21st century.

The
new democratic governments of Latin America and the
Caribbean have joined forces with those who desire
Puerto Rico’s full independence. There have been
important demonstrations of solidarity with Puerto
Rico, for example, the UN Decolonization Committee’s
vote in favor of Puerto Rican sovereignty and
support received in other international forums, such
as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean
States (CELAC), the most significant unifying,
integrationist force currently existing in the
region.

Last
year, The UN Decolonization Committee reevaluated
Puerto Rico’s status, on the request of Cuba -
historically and geographically linked to Puerto
Rico - with the support of other Latin American
nations, in a diplomatic exercise first carried out
more than 30 years ago, which Washington has
ignored.

Before delegates from 193 UN member countries,
Cuba’s representative, Oscar León, presented a
resolution, supported by Venezuela, Nicaragua,
Bolivia and Ecuador, asserting Puerto Rico’s
inalienable right to self-determination and
independence.

This was not a novel event. Puerto Rico’s right to
self-determination has
been recognized in 31 resolutions and decisions
since 1972.

León
stated however, “Little progress has been made, in
all these years, in the search for a definitive
solution to the current colonial status, which will
allow Puerto Ricans to freely determine their
political condition and realize, without foreign
interference, their political, economic, social and
cultural dreams.”

The
proposed resolution also called on U.S. President
Barack Obama to release political prisoners Oscar
López Rivera, imprisoned 32 years ago, and Norberto
González Claudio, both serving unjust sentences for
their pro-independence efforts.

The
inclusion of the issue of Puerto Rican independence
in the Second CELAC Summit, held in Havana, gave
support to the efforts of Puerto Rican patriots.
Representatives of Puerto Rican political movements
favoring national sovereignty traveled to Havana as
invited guests to participate in the great event’s
ancillary activities.

“We
reiterate the Latin American and Caribbean character
of Puerto Rico, and taking note of the resolutions
regarding Puerto Rico adopted by the United Nations
Special Decolonization Committee, we reiterate that
this is an issue of importance to CELAC,” indicated
the Final Declaration of the Summit, approved by 29
heads of state and government convened in Havana.

The fight for Puerto Rican independence is long and
difficult. The U.S. is a powerful enemy who will not
give up this Caribbean jewel, which it governs from
afar, but nor can it evade the desire of a good part
of the four million people who live on the island,
demonstrating in protests, in the streets, in public
forums, in their continual political struggle, that
at some point Puerto Rico will be included among the
free nations of the Caribbean. (Cubahora)

'Confusion' Between Vat Law, Guidance Must Be Eliminated

A
Tax Coalition co-chair has called for apparent differences between the
Value-Added Tax (VAT) legislation and ‘guidance notes’ to be “resolved”,
agreeing that there was “confusion between the two”.

Robert
Myers told Tribune Business there were numerous “loose ends” remaining
in relation to VAT, and that he had called for another meeting of the
joint government-private sector advisory committee to tackle concerns
that had been “batted back and forth”.

Agreeing
that implementation was unlikely to be seamless because the Government
was trying to “fast track” the process, Mr Myers said his call for the
Christie administration to stop throwing VAT “information hand grenades”
had been validated by last week’s events.

John
Rolle, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary, caused temporary
turmoil in Freeport’s business community when he inadvertently suggested
7.5 per cent VAT would be levied on the city’s ‘bonded goods’ regime - a
mistake later retracted and corrected.

Mr
Myers, though, said this proved the need for a properly-structured VAT
education programme, otherwise the risk remained that mistakes and
misunderstandings might cause “widespread panic”.

One
area that needs to be tightened is ensuring the Ministry of Finance’s
VAT ‘guidance notes’ conform with what is in the legislation and
regulations.

The
Government has already had to issue one clarification here in relation
to pre-existing contracts, confirming that the VAT Act requires that the
service/goods recipient at all times will pay the tax - not the
provider/vendor.

Yet
the VAT ‘guidance notes’ appeared to take the opposite position on
pre-existing business and commercial rental contracts, stating that if
no agreement could be reached with the recipient/tenant to pay the tax
post-January 1, the vendor/landlord would have to ‘eat’ it as the
Government would assume the tax is contained in the contract sum.

“That’s
an area we’re going to have to go through,” Mr Myers told Tribune
Business of potential discrepancies between the VAT
legislation/regulations and ‘guidance notes’.

“There
clearly is a gap. There clearly is some confusion between the two. We
need to get that resolved. There’s a lot of loose ends.”

The
Coalition for Responsible Taxation co-chairman, meanwhile, said last
week’s mistakes in Freeport had “validated” his call for a structured
VAT education process.

“It
only strengthens what I said, which is that we’ve got to get a process
for doing this, and get these training modules out so people are clear,”
he told Tribune Business.

“You
can see there’s a definite need to calm the process when high ranking
officials don’t get it right, and get something that’s digestible for
the public and private sector. We don’t want to create widespread panic.
It’s got to be a calm process.

“If
that means slowing it down to get it right, let’s do so. Let’s make
sure what we do is done in a calm, responsible and deliberate way. We
need to do it in a responsible, deliberate and calm fashion. It’s
important that everyone understands, is comfortable and no one is
panicked.”

Mr
Myers said he was now pushing the Government to hold a second meeting
of the joint private-public sector VAT advisory committee, adding: “I’m
hoping to pull that off, because we need to hit them [the Government]
with a list and get some answers on stuff that’s kind of been batted
back and forth.”

He
conceded, though, that VAT implementation on January 1 was likely to be
far from smooth given the haste with which the Government was seeking
to move on tax reform.

Mr
Myers said New Zealand, whose experience the Bahamas’ has drawn on a
great deal, used a 14-18 month gap between their VAT legislation’s
public release and implementation to iron out any problems.

The
Bahamas, by contrast, was attempting to do the same in less than six
months, though the Government would argue that the initial draft’s
November 2013 release has given everyone 13-14 months to prepare.

“It’s
going to be a bit of a mess because we’re trying to fast track the
process,” Mr Myers told Tribune Business. “We’re trying to do it in how
many months? You can’t expect to have a seamless process when you’re
trying to fast track something like this.

“There’s
going to be issues. The more we can get ahead of it and cut off
confusion by vetting documents, and only then get them out to the
private sector, you will have a lot less noise.”

He
added: “Clearly there’s a lot of confusion at this point, and it’s not
going to stop as long as we don’t follow the process. We’ve got to be
responsible in the way we do that.

“First
vet the legislation, regulations and guidance notes, clear as much of
the confusion up as possible, then get thye education platform launched
and get support teams out there, hitting each of the sectors.

Mr
Myers suggested that the education process start with the Bahamas’
largest businesses, who were expected to be the biggest VAT collectors,
“and then work down from there”.

He
conceded that the VAT education process was “still very erratic” and “a
bit disjointed in my humble opinion. I expect that to clear up; I hope
it clears up significantly over the next couple of weeks or months”.

He
warned that the Bahamas, both the Government and private sector, “can’t
afford” for VAT education to fail because it would automatically mean
reduced compliance. And less compliance will result in an increased VAT
rate, and new and increased taxes elsewhere.

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Onward together to a better future for China-Bahamas relations

By YUAN GUISEN

“Bosom friends make distance disappear,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping to the president of Trinidad and Tobago during his visit to Latin America and the Caribbean last year. In July, President Xi concluded a successful visit to Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba with fruitful results for further ties, a gesture of China’s sincerity and the high value China places on its relations with Latin America and the Caribbean.

During his visit, President Xi attended a China-Latin America and the Caribbean Summit and delivered a keynote speech titled Striving to build a hand-in-hand community of common destiny. His address announced China's proposals and measures for promoting China-Latin America cooperation. It proposed to build a Five-in-One new pattern of China-Latin America and the Caribbean relations: sincerely trust each other in politics; cooperate with each other for a win-win outcome in terms of economy and trade; learn from each other in people-to-people and cultural exchanges; closely cooperate with each other in international affairs; and promote each other in overall cooperation and bilateral relations, so as to forge a hand-in-hand community of common destiny.

China firmly believes that the world tide flows in its mighty power. The cooperation between China and Latin American countries and the Caribbean states serves the practical and long-term interests of both sides. China proposes to jointly build a new "1 + 3 + 6" cooperation framework:

• "1" means "one plan", referring to the establishment of the China-Latin American Countries and Caribbean States Cooperation Plan (2015-2019) with the aim of achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development.

• "3" means "three engines", referring to promoting the comprehensive development of China-Latin America practical cooperation with trade, investment and financial cooperation as the impetus, striving to promote China-Latin America trade to scale up to US$500 billion and the investment stock in Latin America up to $250 billion within 10 years and promote the expansion of local currency settlement and currency swap in bilateral trade.

State-to-state relations thrive when there is friendship between the peoples. And such friendship grows out of close interactions between the peoples.

Over the next five years, China will provide Latin American and Caribbean countries with 6,000 government scholarships, 6,000 training opportunities in China and 400 positions of in-house studying for master’s degrees.

China will also invite 1,000 political party leaders from Latin American and Caribbean countries to visit China and launch the Future Bridge training program for 1,000 Chinese and Latin American youth leaders in 2015. China proposes to set the year 2016 as China-Latin America Cultural Exchange Year.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1997,

China-Bahamas bilateral relations have remained on a track of steady development, with deepening cooperation in all fields. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Perry Christie reached an important consensus on furthering our ties during the meeting in Trinidad and Tobago last year. A mutual visa exemption agreement in effect since this February has vastly facilitated exchange between our two peoples. In early May, a Chinese medical team visited The Bahamas and performed free cataract surgeries on 101 Bahamian patients, whose sight was improved or recovered.

This year, three-dozen Bahamian officials have been invited to China for short-term training programs sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. Nine excellent Bahamian students were granted Chinese government scholarships to study in China in the coming years.

There is an old saying in China, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. What our bilateral relations have achieved up to today is the sum of numerous single steps made by our two governments and peoples.

Through the new measures and initiatives for developing relations between China and Latin America and the Caribbean proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, our bilateral relations will be injected with new momentum that will usher in a new era.

Six decades ago, leaders of China, India and Myanmar initiated the Five Principles, including mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

Sixty years on, China firmly observed and will observe the five principles of peaceful coexistence. China will firmly pursue peaceful development and a win-win strategy of opening-up, which will create new opportunities and space for the development around the world.

In spite of the differences in geographical location, territorial area, per capital GDP and culture between our two nations, we have enormous potential for cooperation. The Bahamas has become an important partner of China in Caribbean region.

Since my assumption of office over a half year ago, I have experienced the friendship between our two peoples and the enthusiasm of Bahamians to develop relations with China.

The Chinese government would like to make every effort to enhance our ties in various spheres based on the Five Principles. We will seek to expand our common interests and ensure our two peoples benefit from the strengthening of our bilateral relations. We firmly believe that it’s a good time now for us to work together onward to a better future of our relations.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Governments for Sale? (Campaign Finance Reform)

Last week the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and scores of other
citizens and residents of this country watched with dismay, as the
government pressed forward with its plans to legitimize the long illegal
web shop industry in the Bahamas. This action comes following the
resounding public no vote in the January 2013 “referendum” and further
upholds years of gaming discrimination against Bahamians. In addition to
inviting the potential for new levels of government corruption, the
recently tabled gaming legislation seems to be an effort by this
Christie led administration to reward web shop bosses who have for years
operated in contravention of the law; giving the owners of these
illegal establishments what equates to a mere slap on the wrist for
years of illegal operation with only minimal fines, fees and penalties
imposed.

Clearly, the government’s gaming legislation was
designed, not with the interests of the wider Bahamian population in
mind, but was instead formulated to meet the needs and desires of web
shop owners. The question though, is why? Why would a government which
claims to be acting in the best interest of ALL BAHAMIANS
table legislation which clearly caters to the whims of a select group?
Could it perhaps be payback for the millions of dollars reportedly
pumped into the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) 2012 election
campaign?

The tabling of the new gaming legislation once
again thrusts the important issue of Campaign Finance Reform back into
the spotlight. The DNA Calls on the government to implement clear
guidelines which will govern future election campaign donations. Such
guidelines should require ALL POLITICAL ORGNAIZATIONS
to make full disclosure of its financial statements. Under the new
regulations, all political parties would be bound by law to publicly
disclose the amounts of all campaign finance donations and make known
how those funds were raised. In addition, campaign finance reform would
also place limits on how much one individual or organization is allowed
to donate to a political party.

Doing so will limit the
potential influence of special interest groups on government policy and
create governments which will execute the will of the people with
improved levels of transparency and accountability.

No one
individual, group of individuals or organization should be able to – in
essence – buy a government; the level of influence which has been
exerted on this government by special interests groups during this term
in office is a clear indication that our system of governance has been
compromised.

The influence of money on our past elections
has made and will continue to make the causes which are most crucial for
our people and the development of our nation, second, to the will of
special interest groups. Since taking office, this administration has
paid only lip service to the idea of increased transparency in
governance while failing at every turn to enact legislation which would
eliminate the opacity which currently exists.

The DNA
calls for the enactment of Campaign Finance Legislation but true to
form, this PLP government will not introduce such legislation because
they are guilty of what the legislation will stand for. This legislation
will only be introduced under a DNA government.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Should homosexuals influence Caribbean society more than the church community? Part 1

By Dr Lazarus Castang:

Some commentaries on Caribbean News Now have consistently
engaged in a common logical leap from universal human rights to men
having sex with men. Homosex is often more implicitly than explicitly
subsumed under the canopy of universal human rights. The need for sex or
sexual satisfaction is universal, human, and a natural right. So, if
this is the case, then no government, society, religion, culture, law,
or morality should stigmatise or discriminate against adult males having
private, consensual sex if it does not harm anyone. So the argument
goes, but is the case really as simple and straightforward as this?

Caribbean society includes the homosexual community as well as the
church community. From an objective, noncommittal perspective, for
homosexuals to influence Caribbean society on the right to sex more than
the Caribbean church or vice-versa constitutes an obvious bias in
either direction. To try to divide and conquer by insisting that the
church have sex however they want, and homosexuals have sex however they
please, solves the problem on the individual level, but not on the
collective/societal level.

Some active homosexuals want to be welcomed and affirmed in and by the
church, and be celebrated when they come out in society. Some want to be
married and hold position in church. Furthermore, they oppose any moral
or legal discrimination against their homosexual behaviour by society
or the church. In some countries they have or seek laws that criminalise
public and Christian moral opposition to homosex, while they
decriminalise homosex. They want homosexual behaviour to be upheld in
school curriculum as a normal variant of human sexuality and insist on
legislation to protect their right to homosex that is assumed to be
universal and right.

Homosexuals have private homosex, but seek public recognition and
acceptance of their relationships through several avenues like public
parades and protests. Privacy is not what they seek, since they have it
already. Publicity of their “privacy” that can psychosocially normalize
homosex and break down public resistance is the goal. Homosexuals are
trying to influence societal norms just like the church. So, to talk of
the church as a homophobic or bigoted obstacle to sexual freedom is to
try to exclude and mute the influence of the church as an important
public moral voice in Caribbean society.

Furthermore, the concept of universal human rights, as some have related
it to homosex, does not address how to resolve public conflict of
rights in society and in what way homosex is universal and right. In any
public conflict of rights, say right to conscience versus sexual
orientation right, one right will be made fundamental and the other less
than fundamental. Merely using accusatory terms like “disadvantaged
groups,” “abuse of minority,” “exclusionary approach” and “tyranny” in
context of homosexual cause and the Caribbean church and society only
fly on broken wings of emotionalism and appeals to sympathy without good
reason.

In certain parts of the US and Canada, opponents of homosex have been
fined or imprisoned for publicly opposing homosex, but homosexuals are
not fined or imprisoned for publicly berating the church. They call the
church bigoted for disapproving and not accommodating homosex, while
they reverse bigotry by disapproving and not accommodating opposition to
homosex.

In the Caribbean, homosexuals have been physically threatened, or
attacked, or killed because of their orientation and behavioural
expression or public display or promotion of it. The church community,
however, disapproves of both homosex and violence against homosexuals.
But it is argued by some gay rights activists that opposition to homosex
is a source of social homophobia. The case for such argument has not
been made and even if it were true, then, attackers can also use any
other reason to attack homosexuals, such as the way they walk, talk,
dress, the places they go, or the company they keep, or coming out. With
such questionable or farfetched reasoning not only opposition to
homosex needs changing. The way some homosexuals walk, talk, dress, the
places they go, or the company they keep, or coming out, all these would
be sources of homophobia to be changed.

So, should homosexuals influence Caribbean society on the right to sex
more than the Caribbean church? After all, homosexuals’ bodies, butts,
behaviours, brains, buggery, and bugs are theirs, not the church’s, even
though some of them may belong to a church. The church should not talk
for or over homosexuals, and homosexuals cannot control the church.
Therefore, should homosexuals influence Caribbean society on the right
to sex more than the Caribbean church?

If homosex is exclusively a private matter, should it be publicly
promoted in any form or fashion, or legally protected, or religiously
accepted? Does the church have a right to tell homosexuals not to have
homosex? Are laws or sermons against homosex codes for or reinforcements
of violent attacks against homosexuals in the Caribbean? As analogies,
do laws against incest, pedophilia, bestiality, polygamy, and drug
trafficking mean attack the violators?

There is no link between believing homosex is wrong and acting to wrong
homosexuals physically. Physical attackers of homosexuals can use any
reason in an effort to justify their nefarious acts, while accusers of
the church bypass them to wrongly assign blame to the church. There are
unbalanced and uncompassionate people in the church community as well as
the homosexual community. So, should homosexuals influence Caribbean
society on the right to sex, if there is a right to sex, more than the
Caribbean church?

If there is a right to sexual satisfaction, how far do we extend this
right to sex and on what basis? A non-discriminatory claim for the
recognition of a variety of sexual orientations would have to include
orientations toward multiple sex partners (polysexuality), children
(pedophilia), blood relatives (incest), animals (bestiality),
sadomasochism, voyeurism, necrophilia and so on. Sexual libertinism
would be the order of the day in the name of freedom, social inclusion,
tolerance, equality and acceptance.

The separation of church and state does not eliminate the influence of
the church on the society or the society on the church. The Caribbean
church exists under the jurisdiction of the Caribbean state and in
society. Religious and secular people, gay or straight, influence state
decisions as members of political parties, government agencies, business
enterprises and media corporations and as individual citizens. Efforts
to remove church or homosexual influence from the Caribbean
state/society are virtually impractical at the corporate level and the
individual level. Therefore, one cannot legitimately talk of freedom and
at the same time seek to totally erode dialogue, rivalry of influence,
and jostling for legal advantage between the church and the homosexual
community on the question of the right to sexual satisfaction in the
Caribbean.

In a society with a multiplicity of sexual orientations, sexual laws
cannot forbid any behavioural expression of sexual orientation and be
non-discriminatory at the same time. However, Caribbean diverse society
must draw the line somewhere, even when the line may only be drawn in
the sand of social shifts and turns. Again, should homosexuals influence
Caribbean society on the right to sex more than the Caribbean church?

Sunday, September 7, 2014

At a time when the world is experiencing an energy crisis, the process
of rising heat from the earth as a stimulant to economic growth becomes
very beneficial to many Caribbean nations. However, while many
contemplate that geothermal energy is an ambitious opportunity to
utilize wealth and recognition among member states and international
markets, the financial challenges associated with it are many and
varied, and now beckons the need for international ‘tenders’ to promote
the sound development of the project.

Whereas detractors continue to charge that the harnessing of geothermal
energy in the Caribbean could have a negative impact on the carbon
footprint through deforestation, the release of hydrogen sulfide and the
disposal of toxic geothermal fluids into the atmosphere; evidence also
point to the fact that geothermal is the best type of renewable energy
in terms of cost, efficiency, and safety.

Scientific evidence further illustrate that geothermal energy is a major
factor in combating the adverse effects of climate change in the
Caribbean. Geothermal energy doesn’t produce any type of greenhouse
effect, and does not consume any energy since it’s renewable energy and
there is no consumption of any type of fossil fuels.

In all truism, geothermal energy in the Caribbean have the prospective
to address economic development, climate change mitigation, and
stipulation of affordable energy and should be listed on the United
Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as an alternative to poverty
reduction and to energy security.

Yet, unethical clouds smudge the dust for action and solutions.

So what if anything should Caribbean government’s make of the financial
challenges facing geothermal energy? For one, Caribbean islands are now
locked in long term contracts that have no incentive for power producers
to develop more economic methods in order to maximize benefits.

Market research reports that “electrical supply across much of the
Caribbean is generated by expensive and polluting oil- or diesel-fired
generators and millions of dollars are spent on fossil fuel imports.”

Economic analysts further state that “it is the high cost of energy that
presently paints the un-competitive business portrait for the Caribbean
on the international market. Dependency on imports of foreign fossil
fuel affect the balance of payment and contribute toward micro and
macroeconomic challenges, such as inflation, increased cost (and loss of
competitiveness) of local industry, depreciation pressures, and further
external indebtedness.”

In essence, “the future of geothermal energy in the Caribbean “is very
bright,” but Caribbean governments cannot undertake the project solely
admits Sturla Birkisson, senior vice president at Iceland Drilling
Company. In this light, government money and international funds are
needed to mitigate the financial risk and cover the initial costs in the
form of soft loans in case exploratory projects prove unsuccessful.”

Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank
published report further states that “the main challenges associated
with the development of geothermal energy generation in the Caribbean
includes the financial resources needed to confirm the resource
potential of specific sites, financing of exploration, production and
injection wells, and power plant development. The legal and regulatory
framework, the lack of a comprehensive inventory of geothermal resources
with high quality data, environmental and social impacts, and power
sector planning are also other adversary factors.”

As a result, if financial measures are to be met in the cultivation of
geothermal energy, then Caribbean governments will “need to develop
resources themselves, or negotiate a fair price with a responsible
developer that puts some value to the community and supports the growth
of it and stimulates its development.”

Given these circumstances, the most dramatic illustration of the
financial challenges of geothermal energy now shines light on the
Caribbean island of Dominica. With the highest percentage of renewable
energy in its energy mix among Caribbean nations, it would take an
exceptional scale of energy tone deafness not to mention the Skerrit
administration energy policies.

Even for a government that now boast that it has spent more than $US12
million in developing the geothermal industry on the island, and has
sought the advice of the Clinton Climate Initiative, and presented the
project as one of its theme at the sixty-seventh session of the United
Nations General Assembly; it still fails to show the political will and
leadership to enlarge and diversify the ‘portfolio of options’ that
geothermal energy entails.

Subsequently, the project lies crippled in cronyism and unprofessional conduct.

Perhaps proponents may want to evidence leaked diplomatic cable released
by Wikileaks that allege the United States embassy in Barbados is
unfavorable to the government of Dominica’s plan on moving forward in
developing the island’s geothermal potential, but if as the Dominica
prime minister asserts that “one of the weaknesses of Renewable Energy
(RE) initiatives and Efficient Energy initiatives (EE) in the Caribbean
is the lack of projects to demonstrate the benefits,” then, the
harnessing of geothermal energy cannot continue to be cloaked in secrecy
and locked in a partisan political play.

In order to maximize the benefits of geothermal energy in the Caribbean,
it is clear, that bi-partisan efforts and inputs from environmentalists
and consultants are needed to help government negotiate a fair price
with international developers.

Progressively, the long-term needs of energy security in the region is
now of high importance and at this point, Caribbean governments should
seek to develop an “integrated project management solution” and a
systematic review and re-examination of geothermal resources for energy
production. It would not only help in meeting the ongoing energy crisis
in the world at large and boost the national security of many Caribbean
nations, but it will also become a valuable alternative energy source
for future generations.

Thus, it is now evident that the answer to wealth and recognition for many Caribbean nations lie beneath.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Wetlands in Cuba cover an area of
approximately 10,410 square kilometers, equal to
9.3% of the islands total surface and include swampy
areas along the coastline and in the interior.

These ecosystems are known for their
fragility and vulnerability, although they provide
ecological and economic benefits, among them habitat
protection and the reduction of costal erosion.

They also play a vital part in the
capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,
purification of effluents, limiting the impact of
extreme weather on infrastructure and supplying
water for consumption and economic activities.

Furthermore, they contribute to
replenishing subterranean water supplies and
collecting rain in urban and rural zones; in
addition to controlling floods and stabilizing the
coastline; as well as forming barriers between land
and sea phenomenon.

Ciénaga de
Zapata is home to crocodiles and numerous species of
Cuban flora and fauna.

According to information from the
Environment Agency on the entity’s website, Cuban
wetlands are an inseparable part of the country’s
biological wealth and diversity, adding that they
include vast landscapes featuring estuaries, open
coasts, marshes, floodplains, scrublands and forests,
lakes, canals and rivers.

Artificially created wetlands can
function in either a positive or negative way, in
accordance with the nature of the biological assets
affected.

Among the most prominent in Cuba are
the Ciénaga de Zapata, Birama (including the River
Cauto delta), Lanier, Cunagua, Pinar del Río’s
southeastern lakeside system and the Colorados
islets; Sabana Camagüey; Jardines de la Reina; and
the Canarreos.

The wetlands of Ciénaga de Zapata,
in Matanzas, are the largest and most exceptional in
Cuba and the Caribbean, meriting their inclusion in
the ConventiononWetlands of
International Importance especially noted on the
Waterfowl Habitat List.

Ramsar is the name of the city in
Iran where this Convention was signed on February 2,
1971. Provisions went into effect December 21, 1975.
(AIN)

Monday, September 1, 2014

SINCE Jamaica became an independent nation and a signatory of the
International Convention of the United Nations (UN) against the
planting, possession and illicit use of marijuana, Jamaica has saved
over a trillion dollars in health care, especially in the maintenance of
the sanity of its citizens, by continuing with the criminalisation of
the planting, possession and illicit use of marijuana as a narcotic
substance.

The marijuana plant is of Asian origin. It was first observed to be
grown on the banks of the River Ganges in India. This is how the name
'ganja' originated, but the plant is officially named in India as the
'Indian Hemp'.

The plant has distinct male and female species, whereby the male plant
does not flower and therefore does not bear seeds and is not referred to
as marijuana, as the leaves are not as potent with the concentrated
chemical substances as the leaves of the female plant.

The female plant, with the intoxicating psychoactive properties of high
euphoric effect, flowers and bears seeds, and its leaves, flowers and
seeds are what really caused the plant to be referred to as the
marijuana plant. Therefore, the female plant with the psychoactive
properties is scientifically referred to as a Pistil-ate plant with
Cannabis Sativa.

Pistil is the female reproductive organ of a flower and cannabis is the
dried flowering spikes and/or fruit-in-tops of the female plant.

In India, apart from the complex chemical composition and psychoactive
properties of the leaves, fruit-in-top and/or flower of high euphoric
effect of the female plant -- that is dangerous and/or poisonous to the
human brain and entire nervous system of the body -- the plant, both
male and female, is generally noted for the tough fibre of its bark and
with the required licence, it is used for the production of canvas and
rope (the hemp rope) etc.

The psychoactive property with the high euphoric effect of the female
plant is above the control of the metabolism of the immune system of the
human body and causes the imagination of the person that drinks and/or
smokes it to rise above the height of elucidation, which makes it
damaging to the brain and the entire nervous system of the body.

This high euphoric effect of the psychoactive property of the leaves and
flowers of the female plant is what is commonly misinterpreted and is
misleading of the plant as a medicinal herb that is suitable for the
human body.

Such high euphoric effect is by far higher and lasting than the euphoric
effect of the psychoactive properties of the female plant and is
synonymous to the pharmacodynamics of an aphrodisiac that is injected
into a stallion to intensify its sex drive. It is therefore above the
control of the immune system of the human body.

Based on its chemical composition, the female plant typifies the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

The male plant, carries not flower or fruit-in-tops, hence, the leaves,
flower and/or fruit-in-tops of the female plant are dangerous and
especially of those grown in Jamaica, which appear to be more potent
that those grown in other countries.

When toxicologically observed in research in the biochemical laboratory,
the chemical composition of the marijuana plant is a most complex one
of many different chemical compounds. These chemical compounds are
subdivided into three classes, according to the chemical scale of Acid
(Ph 1-6), Neutral (Ph 7) and Alkaline (Ph 8-14). The active ingredient
of these chemical compounds is a chemical compound known as
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is most addictive and above the
standard of control of the human brain and nervous system.

Therefore, with the euphoric effect of such psychoactive property, the
internal use of marijuana is dangerous to all age groups and especially
to children. The continuous use (smoking and drinking) of the narcotic
substance is worse psychologically, though the person, having become
addicted and to some extent, may appear and believe that he or she is
fine, but with distinct appearance of symptoms and especially the uncut
hair and coloured eyes that are different from the normal person.
Therefore, the continuous use of marijuana is destructive to the human
brain, the nervous system and the entire body.

Apart from the THC, the complex chemical composition of the marijuana
plant has chemical proprieties that if successfully separated and
diluted, could be of benefit to the human body orally and possibly
intravenously.

However, from thorough research and based on consensus of the
international convention of the UN, what is dangerous about the plant is
the complexity of its chemical composition. Each compound of the
composition is of minute quantity and the complexity of the composition
makes it impossible to chemically separate one from the other (the
poisonous from the non-poisonous) without creating a chemical or nuclear
change that is worse damaging to the body.

Therefore, with the THC, it is internationally observed and remained a
narcotic substance; as the use of it can only be done as a whole, which
is dangerous to the human body.

Without evidential proof of the formula and authenticity of the
extract(s) and identity of the specific chemical compound(s) extracted
from the complex chemical composition of the plant, and evidence of the
pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics as a medicinal product without
serious harm to the human body, any signatory of the UN Convention that
legalised the use of marijuana in whatever quantity is a retrograde
step towards psychotic development of its citizens.

With the findings of over 70 years of established research by the UN
Convention on marijuana, whosoever is proactive to the legalisation of
marijuana for medicinal purposes has very little and or no knowledge and
understanding of its psychoactive danger to the human brain, nervous
system and entire body.

Metaphorically, such person or group of persons is intoxicated with the
inordinate love for monetary gain, fame and fortune of the world, that
comprised the root and or route of all evil.

It is a fact that Canosol was developed from marijuana.

I believe that if a survey is done among the ophthalmologists in
Jamaica, 95 per cent of them would say that Canosol has no effect
against glaucoma and 4.5 per cent would say it has very little effect.

The media are currently burdened with so many experts on marijuana who
are proactive of the licensing of it, but when those who know better
listen and read what they say about the plant, it is evident that they
have no true knowledge of the plant and its chemical composition, except
that they are under the influence of the inordinate desire for economic
gain and employment, against the current global recession.

For example, President Barack Obama is able to be proactive in such
retrograde step, because, apart from the fact that he is ignorant of the
complex chemical composition of the plant and its danger to the human
body, he is in his second and final term as President of the USA and
quite likely to him, he has nothing to lose with the world in mind and
no emphasis on his soul. Also, as president of the USA, he is also
proactive of unisex marriage, against the will of God. What grave
mistake for a young man with such great potential and who is greatly
loved! Can a man opposed and remain standing in battle against God?

To gain, and for the maintenance of power, there are times when people do silly things.

In Jamaica, to boost revenue, the authorities started to license
handcarts and because a trying, poor peasant could not pay the licence
for operating his handcart, they took sledge hammers and smashed his
handcart in one incident. Consequently, he and his children and
children's mother are placed in the position to suffer from hunger. With
such a draconian and kangaroo law, what great temptation it is to cause
the poor man and his children to become criminals to maintain
themselves? Where is the love in action? Is it not because of class
prejudice in Jamaica, that is worse than apartheid, that was practised
in South Africa why they smashed the trying peasant's cart?

With the appropriate licence, the bark of the marijuana plant is used by
some signatories of the UN Convention in the production of canvas and
rope and other products with such material, except for medicinal
purposes etc, for assimilation in the human body. Therefore, in all the
signatories of the UN, including Jamaica, the cultivation, possession,
trading and use; including exportation of marijuana and any byproduct
(hashish) thereof are illegal, in that they are narcotic substances.

Consequently, to have criminalised tobacco smoking and legalised the
smoking, etc of marijuana, and irrespective of the quantum, it is
likened unto the leaders of a commune who are faced with economic
problems that they cannot solve and thereupon colluded and prepared a
toxic treat and premeditatedly fed it to each member of the commune as
the way forward; to deceptively become insane and commit mass suicides.

Dr Basil R Simms, a biochemist and business consultant, is
founder and chairman of Retsam Research and Development Ltd. He may be
reached at 416-5546 or basil.simms@cwjamaica.com